Wallaby hopped awaySlow Turtle had to staySo scared for making a big mistakeShe hid under a bowl, not a plateAnd there it's stayed to this dayOn her back at work and play In the Dreamtime the Turtle and the Wallaby were best friends. Every day they would look for food together and at night they would return to their camp and share what they had gathered during the day. One day Turtle and Wallaby could not find any food at all, so they went over to see their neighbour, the Hornbill Bird. They asked him if they could have some of his food, as he always had plenty to eat. When they arrived, Hornbill was not home. Instead of waiting for him to return, the hungry Turtle and Wallaby began to help themselves to Hornbill's food. When they were full, Turtle and Wallaby returned home, satisfied. Then every day after that, they would return to Hornbill's camp and take his food without asking. Not long after this, all the birds held a celebration with much singing and dancing, and a big feast. But as the day went by, the birds realised that they would run out of food. "I'll get some more food from Hornbill's camp" volunteered Willy Wagtail and she flew off towards Hornbill's camp. From the sky, Willy Wagtail saw Turtle and Wallaby stealing Hornbill's food. She returned immediately to tell Hornbill and all the other birds, what she had seen. "Turtle and Wallaby are eating all your food!" she cried, "There is hardly anything left!" The birds were very angry and flocked together to fly off to catch the two thieves in action. Wallaby saw the angry birds coming towards them and hopped over a log and sped away to safety. But poor turtle could not move as quickly as Wallaby. The birds swooped down, picked up turtle, and carried her to the middle of Hornbill's camp, where they left her while they decided how to punish her for stealing. Turtle was so scared that she hid under a coolamon. There Turtle stayed very quiet and still. When the birds had decided what punishment they would give Turtle, they returned to Hornbill's camp, but could not see Turtle anywhere. "Turtle has escaped!" cried Hornbill. "Find her! Find her" All the birds flew off to look for Turtle When it was very quiet, Turtle peeped out from under the coolamon and saw that the camp was deserted. She crept quietly out of the camp with the coolamon still on her back and had almost made it to the safety of the sea, when the birds spied her on the beach. "Get her!" they cried, and began dropping stones and pebbles on top of Turtle, trying to stop her escape. But the stones and pebbles bounced off the coolamon and didn't hurt Turtle at all. Turtle made it to the water's edge and dived safely into the sea. From that time Turtle kept the coolamon on her back to protect herself, wherever she goes.
That is how the Turtle got her shell.
Once you have read the story, you can use this document to complete a reading comprehension task. When you finish this task, please e-mail your answers to your Australian Partner Student, who will correct this for you!
How the Turtle Got Her Shell
In the Dreamtime the Turtle and the Wallaby were best friends.
Every day they would look for food together and at night they would return to their camp and share what they had gathered during the day.
One day Turtle and Wallaby could not find any food at all, so they went over to see their neighbour, the Hornbill Bird. They asked him if they could have some of his food, as he always had plenty to eat. When they arrived, Hornbill was not home. Instead of waiting for him to return, the hungry Turtle and Wallaby began to help themselves to Hornbill's food.
When they were full, Turtle and Wallaby returned home, satisfied. Then every day after that, they would return to Hornbill's camp and take his food without asking.
Not long after this, all the birds held a celebration with much singing and dancing, and a big feast. But as the day went by, the birds realised that they would run out of food.
"I'll get some more food from Hornbill's camp" volunteered Willy Wagtail and she flew off towards Hornbill's camp.
From the sky, Willy Wagtail saw Turtle and Wallaby stealing Hornbill's food. She returned immediately to tell Hornbill and all the other birds, what she had seen.
"Turtle and Wallaby are eating all your food!" she cried, "There is hardly anything left!"
The birds were very angry and flocked together to fly off to catch the two thieves in action. Wallaby saw the angry birds coming towards them and hopped over a log and sped away to safety. But poor turtle could not move as quickly as Wallaby.
The birds swooped down, picked up turtle, and carried her to the middle of Hornbill's camp, where they left her while they decided how to punish her for stealing. Turtle was so scared that she hid under a coolamon. There Turtle stayed very quiet and still.
When the birds had decided what punishment they would give Turtle, they returned to Hornbill's camp, but could not see Turtle anywhere.
"Turtle has escaped!" cried Hornbill. "Find her! Find her" All the birds flew off to look for Turtle
When it was very quiet, Turtle peeped out from under the coolamon and saw that the camp was deserted. She crept quietly out of the camp with the coolamon still on her back and had almost made it to the safety of the sea, when the birds spied her on the beach.
"Get her!" they cried, and began dropping stones and pebbles on top of Turtle, trying to stop her escape. But the stones and pebbles bounced off the coolamon and didn't hurt Turtle at all.
Turtle made it to the water's edge and dived safely into the sea.
From that time Turtle kept the coolamon on her back to protect herself, wherever she goes.
That is how the Turtle got her shell.
Once you have read the story, you can use this document to complete a reading comprehension task. When you finish this task, please e-mail your answers to your Australian Partner Student, who will correct this for you!